Stigmatizing beliefs and attitudes about mental illness are prevalent and exposure to stigma is common among people with mental illness. The negative effects of stigma are compounded when a veteran with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) internalizes these stigmatizing assumptions and stereotypes. Internalized stigma refers to the process in which a person with mental illness cognitively or emotionally absorbs negative messages or stereotypes about mental illness and comes to believe them and apply them to him/herself. Internalized stigma is evident among veterans with SMI and can lead to decreased self-efficacy, increased depression, social withdrawal, and curtailed pursuit of recovery goals.